Caution: Girl Stuff

[Stan4dSteph]

Considering all of the potential side effects of hormone therapy, especially all of the various cancers, I wouldn't take birth control just to get bigger breasts.

I get to have my annual exam this week. My current gyn is a man, the first I've had, and I'm actually fine with it. I always picked women before, but this time around I just went with geographical convenience -- he's in my current physician network. The only thing that was new to me was that there's always a nurse in the room during the exam.

[Cadaverous Pallor]

Originally Posted by Stan4dSteph

Considering all of the potential side effects of hormone therapy, especially all of the various cancers, I wouldn't take birth control just to get bigger breasts.

Yeah. This is what one side of my inner conversation keeps saying. Avoiding having a period would be fantastic though.

Originally Posted by Stan4dSteph

I get to have my annual exam this week. My current gyn is a man, the first I've had, and I'm actually fine with it. I always picked women before, but this time around I just went with geographical convenience -- he's in my current physician network. The only thing that was new to me was that there's always a nurse in the room during the exam.

I got over my ban on men rather quickly, mostly because I never really cared to visit the same doctor twice, and it was more like "give me whoever's available on this day at this time because that's when I have time for an appointment."

My last doctor, who I actually saw more than twice, was a really weird looking older man. When I first saw him I kinda freaked. His eyes are nearly shut all the time, and sometimes he does close his eyes while he's talking to you. Weird. But the pap itself was quick and no prob. Next time I needed an appointment, I discovered that this guy was much more readily available than any other doctor I'd seen. Having a homely man for a doctor has it's perks.

Another out of the blue squeamish question - sex during your period?

[bewitched]

Originally Posted by Not Afraid

This is based on my own personal experience (and I've had my share of medical fun) but most surgery now is such a piece of cake and had so few side effects that I don't see it as being unsafe at all.

I agree that surgery itself is so much better now. My husband is a med-mal defense lawyer, mostly dealing with hospital infection cases. Unfortunately, these days, the infections you get in hospitals can be, and more often than you would expect are, extremely deadly. So that is more where I'm coming from.

I know there are a lot of people out there who have horrible experiences with hormones; that aside I totally applaude your acceptance of your body as it is. I like to think I would be that brave, but I honestly don't know if I could.

[Not Afraid]

Originally Posted by bewitched

I agree that surgery itself is so much better now. My husband is a med-mal defense lawyer, mostly dealing with hospital infection cases. Unfortunately, these days, the infections you get in hospitals can be, and more often than you would expect are, extremely deadly. So that is more where I'm coming from.

Yes, hospitals can be nasty places, however, who does surgery in a hospital anymore? How old fashioned! My partial mastectomy and my appendectomy were both "drive-thru" surgeries. I wasn't even in a hospital but in an outpatient surgery center and was home within 4 hours. If I chose to have reconstruction/augmentation/reduction that would be done in the same setting.

I first thought that was unreasonable, but I see the benefits of "drive thru" surgery now.


On another note, I sure as hell hope I stay within my family tradition of easy menopause because I cannot take estrogen because the cancer I had thrives on it. Sigh.